Regulations

NLA PAC Fuels Donation Push As Critical Election Nears

BOSTON — In the final weeks leading up to the Nov. 6 Presidential and Congressional elections, the National Limousine Association Political Action Committee is netting donations and plans to seek more in the coming week.

The NLA PAC drew $14,000 donations in the last 10 days, with four more donors pledging to send additional funds, said NLA board director Dawson Rutter, the co-chair of the NLA PAC. The PAC has raised $50,000 so far this year, with about $30,000 on hand.

NLA PAC will be trying to raise more money when operators and key industry leaders and executives gather next week for the annual LCT Leadership Summit in Puerto Rico, Rutter said. “We will try to raise political awareness and get everyone to understand the importance of raising money for our industry supporters.”

Sens. Enzi and Gillibrand in particular have been helpful to the NLA in trying to get the Department of Labor to exempt chauffeur gratuities from overtime wage rules, Rutter said. Since gratuities are direct payments between clients and chauffeurs, and not wages, they should not be subject to overtime, the NLA maintains.

“If we can get the right people elected this year it will go a long way to assisting the NLA in defeating some of the negative issues that our industry is facing,” Rutter wrote in an e-mail last week promoting the PAC. “We need business friendly legislators and an administration that promotes the best interests of all businesses and most especially all of the small business people who comprise the NLA membership and our industry.”

The NLA PAC plans to continue donating to key officeholders next year and beyond to help advance industry interests, Rutter said.

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